Table folding support with latch mechanism



Dec. 6, 1955 HENRY CHAN MUN 2,

TABLE FOLDING SUPPORT WITH LATCH MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1953 INVEN TOR. HENRY CHAN MUN ATTORNEY United States Patent TABLE FOLDING SUPPORT WITH LATCH MECHANISM Henry Chan Mun, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 16, 1953, Serizd No. 342,323

3 Claims. (Cl. 31199) This invention relates to a folding support for a table or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a rigid, sturdy and simple support for a table or the like, which is pivotally connected to the top of said table and may be folded along said top.

Another object of this invention is to provide a foldable support for a table or the like which, when brought substantially into a vertical position, is automatically engaged by a catch and is rigidly held in said position until manually disengaged therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the claims hereto annexed.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best but it is understood that the invention is not limited to such form; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it it desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rear side of a table showing four folding supports in folded position.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the upper portion of the support showing the same in'extended position.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the support as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bracket and Fig. 5 is a side view of the support as shown in Fig. 3, but showing said support in folded position.

In detail, Fig. 1 shows a table top 1 having four folded supports 2 attached to the lower side of said table top. Each of said supports 2 consists of a bracket 3 which is secured to said top by screws 5 or the like, and a leg 7 pivotally attached to said bracket.

The bracket 3 comprises substantially triangular plate 8 having a rounded apex 9 and a straight base 10. Each bracket 3 is affixed in a corner 11 of the table top 1 so that its apex 9 faces said corner and is in close proximity thereto, and its base is directed substantially toward the center of the table. The plate 8 is formed with two parallel ears 12 extending at the right angle thereto and located at the ends of said base 10. The plate 8 carries a catch 14 between said ears which catch consists of a cam strip 15 and a base strip 16 joined together by welding, or otherwise, to form a lip 17. The base strip 16 is secured to the plate 8 preferably by spot welding.

Each leg 7 comprises two braces 20 and a post 21, all preferably made of light metal tubing, though they may be made of bars, channels or the like. The upper ends 23 of the braces 20 are flattened and are pivotally secured to the ears 12 as shown at 24. The lower ends 25 of said braces are brought together and secured to each other by metal screws 26, or rivets, or otherwise. The post 21 has its lower end 27 secured to the ends 25 of said braces by said metal screws 26 or otherwise. The post 21 is 2,726,127 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 substantially straight, and when the leg 7 is in folded position, the top 28 of said post rests on the cam strip 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and is forced by said cam slightly out of its alignment with the braces, thus creating tension which is sufficient to keep the leg 7 in folded position irrespective of the position of the table top 1.

In order to unfold the leg 7, the latter is swung about the pivots 24 until the post 21 takes substantially vertical position. While the leg 7 is being swung about its pivots, the top 28 of said post rides on the cam strip 15 until it finally rests on the plate 8 near its apex 9 at which time the lip 17 of the catch 14 enters a notch 30 in said top. By this cam action the top 28 of the post 21 is forced to spring away a considerable distance from the ends 23 of the braces 20. Thus the post 21 exerts considerable force on said catch and keeps the latter and said post under considerable constant tension and hence securely joined together. This arrangement provides very substantial rigidity to said leg.

In order to fold the leg 7 the post 21 is pulled away from the catch 14 so as to disengage the lip 17 from the notch 30 and thereupon the leg 7 is swung into folded position. The brackets 3 are so arranged on the table top 1, that when the opposite legs 7 are swung into folded positions, they do not fold one over the other, but take slightly spaced and parallel positions as shown in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. A foldable support for a table or the like, comprising a bracket secured to said table, a cam on said bracket, a leg consisting of a pair of braces pivotally connected to said bracket, a post secured to said braces and having a free upper end for sliding on said cam when said leg is swung about said pivots in and out of folded position, a lip carried by said cam, said post having a notch in the upper portion thereof for engaging said lip and retaining the same therein by the tension of the post when the leg is in supporting position.

2. A foldable support for a table or the like, comprising a bracket secured to said table, a cam on said bracket, a leg consisting of a pair of braces pivotally connected to said bracket, a post secured to said braces and having a free upper end for sliding'on said cam when said leg is swung about said pivots in and out of folded position, said cam forcing the upper end of said post away from the braces and keeping the same under tension when the leg is brought into extended position, a lip carried by said cam, said post having a notch in the upper portion thereof for engaging said lip and retaining the same therein by the tension between said post and said braces when the leg is in extended position.

3. A foldable support for a table or the like, comprising a bracket secured to said table, said bracket including two spaced ears and a cam, a leg consisting of two braces pivoted at their tops to said ears, and a post, the lower ends of said braces and of the post being secured to each other, the upper end of said post being free to slide on said cam, the latter keeping the post under constant tension, said post having a notch in the upper portion thereof, said cam having a lip for engaging said notch when said leg is at a right angle to the table, said lip being retained therein by the tension of the post in relation to the braces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

